Applied Science Fiction Inc., creator of the Digital ICE and Digital ICE3 technologies, has introduced Digital GEM, a software plug-in for automatic noise and grain reduction, at this week’s PMA (Photo Marketing Association) Show in Las Vegas.
Digital GEM is the latest addition to the company’s suite of image correction and enhancement plug-in family for Adobe Photoshop and compatible image editing applications.
Digital GEM allows users to automatically isolate and manage noise/grain in both highlight and shadow areas without sacrificing image detail, according to ASF President Dan Sullivan. Users can also achieve portrait softening effects, as well as image sharpening, automatically. But for users who prefer to override the automation, the Digital GEM plug-in features three separate sliders that provide users with manual control over shadow and highlight areas as well as image sharpness.
A free trial version, which applies digital watermarks to images, is available for download. Registration is US$79.95. CD-ROM versions of the plug-in are also available
Also, Pacific Image Electronics has announced that it will incorporate ASF’s Digital ICE3 suite into its newest film scanner, the PF3650PRO3. Digital ICE is designed to eliminate the effects of scratches, dust, fingerprints, and even mold when scanning negatives or positive slides.
The PF3650PRO3 — which will launch later this month at a manufacturers suggested retail price of $599.99 — operates at 3600 dpi optical resolution, 16-bits per channel with a total output image of 48-bits, which allows users to enlarge images up to 36 x 24 inches. It includes FireWire, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 interfaces. The PF3650PRO3 is compatible with Adobe Photoshop and other image editors and Mac OS 8.6 or later (a Mac OS X driver is in the works).